[color=FireBrick][center][h2]An unexpected homecoming[/h2][/center][/color]

If there were names worse than those which came to the Nephilim's mind for the emerald Watcher as he made his snide remarks while the agents of the Council had all just finished scrambling to safety, he did not know them and he was more than positive Uriel would have either pat him on the back for being right or have him doing combat drills until one of the Angelic Champions was tired. Still, he avoided saying it out loud and waited for the inevitable warp. When it came, he decided right then and there that he was going to try his hardest to avoid ever having to do that again, for any reason, as he almost fell off his sword from the sickness. Once he had stabilized himself and recovered, the Nephilim reached down and grasped the hilt of his blade before deftly leaping from the blade and pulling it free in the same motion and somersaulting through the air once before landing with a heavy thud.

Under normal circumstances, Wrath would have been up and moving again right after, but the impact caused his wounds to act up again and he gasped slightly. Staying on one knee, he listened to Lily and the hell hound exchange words briefly before they both set off for the Citadel, though from the sound of wing beats, Lily had decided to fly. Finally managing to pick himself up from his kneeling position, he began his own trek to the Citadel in the distance, sheathing Rage Bringer as he walked. For several long minutes, his only companions were silence and the abrasive heat of the Charred Council's realm. The battle with the Creatrix had caused some question for the Nephilim, not the least of which was how such a creature had gained the power to create such a realm in the first place. [i][color=FireBrick]The Council is the ultimate authority of reality, powerful enough that even the Lords of Heaven and Hell answer to it.

And yet, this being, who was far from equipped to handle the level of power she'd been given, had not only managed to get away and create a world, but had sealed it off from the Council and it's agents. Knowing something like that...it begs some real serious questions...[/color][/i] Looking up as he reached the Citadel, he stopped outside it's great doors for only a moment before pushing one open and entering. Every time he had come in this building, he both feared and hoped that one of his sibling's would be waiting for him, but each time he had been wrong and this time was no different. A Watcher, however, did wait for him. [color=Turquoise]"Ah, there's the halfbreed. Little birdy told me you got pretty banged up fighting a rather nasty bitch on your mission. I'm here to fix that."[/color] Before Wrath can respond, the Watcher touches his chest lightly with a whispy finger and instantly the pain of both his wounds vanish, along with a sense of revitalization that usually only came from a good rest for the Nephilim, and as fast as it happened, the obnoxious, shadowy being was gone.

Wrath glared at where it had been for a moment before shaking his head and moving deeper into the halls of the Citadel. Just one more reason for the Nephilim to not care for the Council's shadowy servants. Moving through the labyrinthine halls of the structure, Wrath walked past the door to his room and made straight for the World Tree. A Watcher moved to stop him but Wrath brushed past it and entered the portal that would take him to the White City, to home, even if he'd spent centuries avoiding it. The transition was brief, almost instantaneous, and then Wrath found himself on the streets of the White City, surrounded by it's pearly white buildings with their golden decorations. As he looked around, he grew familiar with the scenery of the Army of Light preparing for war, including the Hellguard, who's armor bore a red demon's skull with a spear thrust through it. And Wrath knew that meant Uriel would be leading the charge herself if it came down to it.

He started down the broad avenue that the doorway to the Tree dropped him on, which also lead to the Council Building where Heavens leaders met, before a pair of the Army's standard infantry spotted him and landed. [color=Gold]"Hold Wrath! Uriel isn't in the Council Halls this day."[/color] Wrath eyed the pair as he came to a stop, raising an eyebrow.

[color=FireBrick]"Oh? That's a surprise, given that even the Hellguard is preparing to go to war."[/color] The pair look at each other, but the one who had spoken answers.

[color=Gold]"The Hellguard is a precaution, but all the same, that's why she's not there. You'll find her in the weapons forges, getting weapons ready all across the board for the Army of Light and the Hellguard. The Hierarchy...well, they're still doing their own thing, likely squawking at each other about why they don't just wipe out the Third Kingdom already to lessen the number of foes they'll have to face. Anyways, you remember the way, don't you?"[/color] The Nephilim nods and the pair take to the sky once more, leaving him to change course and take a side street that was a shorter path to the armories and weapons forges.

As he walked, Wrath considered everything going on around him, watching a group of angels lead by a Champion soar over him, the mark of the Hellguard on thier shoulders and chest plates. Wrath had spent enough time under Uriel to know better than to agree with what the angel on the main boulevard had said. The Hellguard was never mobilized as a precaution, always as insurance for when Hell intended to use it's biggest and baddest forces. He began to wonder how things on Earth were really going and decided to ask as he arrived at the forges. Some brief questioning brought him to where Uriel was, overseeing the forging of the spears that many of the infantry of the Army of Light preferred for combat. He waited until she was done speaking with one of the forgemaster's before speaking. [color=FireBrick]"Mother, you have a moment?"[/color] Uriel jumped slightly at the sound of the Nephilim's voice, it being deeper than even most of the angels there, and turns to face him.

[color=Orange]"Wrath! I didn't expect you back so soon."[/color] She quickly chases everyone out of the room and closes the doors before facing the Nephilim further. [color=Orange]"And I've told you not to call me mother, that honor would belong to Arciel were she still with us."[/color] Wrath chuckled as he found a spot to sit that wasn't going to damage some of the work.

[color=FireBrick]"Maybe, but it was only her bones that made me. You and you alone raised me, albeit with the help of training instructors."[/color] Uriel sighed, rubbing her temple with her fingers.

[color=Orange]"That all may be true, but I still am not the best example for a mother, what with having put you in harms danger more times than any mother worth anything would. I even let you run off for two or so centuries."[/color]

[color=FireBrick]"You still cared enough to come and find me, more than Lilith ever did for my older siblings. Besides, you and I both know trying to stop me would have been messier than you wanted. Anyways, I'm not here to argue whether or not you're my mother, I need something to give me some range when fighting. My last mission for the Council...well, let's say I was at a bit of a disadvantage for some of the last fight."[/color]

Uriel frowned at her Nephilim charge, but nodded and poked her head out a door. After a brief discussion with the Angel obviously on guard out there, she pulled her head back in and closed the door. [color=Orange]"Yes, reports came in that the Demons had found another Seal. If I may, where did you go for your last Council mission?"[/color] Wrath grimaced, but knew better than to try and keep it from the angel who'd raised him.

[color=FireBrick]"A place called the Undersky. A place the Council has no jurisdiction in. Mother...is that even possible?"[/color] Uriel looked thoughtful when Wrath answered and didn't answer right away. However, when she did, it was clear that his use of Mother had either gone unnoticed or been ignored.

[color=Orange]"Well, clearly it is if it was done, but the Undersky was always a strange place. The creator of it...she wasn't fit to wield the power of Creation, but it is what it is. What was your last battle in the Undersky against? Some mechanical monster?"[/color] Wrath chuckled and the blades from one of his Wrath Dealers came free with a [i]snik[/i] sound.

[color=FireBrick]"Let's just say you can add the title god slayer to my resume, because the Creatrix of the Undersky is dead by these blades."[/color] Uriel opens her mouth, likely to make a comment about such a claim, when there's a knock at the door that the Angel Commander had poked her head out of earlier.

[color=Orange]"Ah, there would be the gift for you I had commissioned when I heard you were working for the Charred Council."[/color] Approaching it, she opened it to take a weapon that Wrath couldn't quite see from the angel standing on the other side and closed the door, speaking as she approached an empty work table. [color=Orange]"When word reached me that you'd be working for the Council, I had a feeling you'd be back sooner or later for something to let you hit from further away; so I commissioned this."[/color]

Stepping back and turning, she revealed a crossbow of exquisite work, with black and gold metal making up the body and arms of the weapon and the bolts made of a darker metal as well. [color=Orange]"We haven't yet picked a name for it, so I thought I'd allow you to. It's designed to be fired rapidly, with decent accuracy if I do say so myself. However, it can also be changed using this small switch here,"[/color] she points to the only piece of metal that appeared to be silver on the entire weapon, [color=Orange]"to make it fire more powerful bolts at a slower fire rate. It's already got one clip in, and I'll send you with a dozen spares. I'll contact the Council to see if they'd allow us to send you more as you need them."[/color]

Standing from his seat, Wrath approaches the [url=https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mods/110/images/28555-1-1358738624.jpg]crossbow[/url], picking it up carefully and aiming down the sights. It wasn't his usually style of hit hard and heavy, but it was still good for him. And given that it WAS designed to be rapid fire...[color=FireBrick]"Death's Rain. That's what I'll call it. Thank you, Mother."[/color]

Uriel scowled. [color=Orange]"Stop calling me that. But all the same, you're welcome. I can only hope it'll serve you well."[/color] Wrath placed the crossbow on his back, next to Rage Bringer and approached the window in the room, leaning against the wall and looking out it at all the angels. Now the Angels of the Hierarchy of Laguna were amongst those from the Army of Light, but their formations were different.

[color=FireBrick]"M-Uriel, I have a favor to ask of you. One I doubt you're going to be happy I'm asking you for."[/color] This piqued the interest of the Angelic Commander, but also a glare.

[color=Orange]"And what would that be, Wrath?"[/color] Wrath turned, letting the light from outside hit his back.

[color=FireBrick]"If you see anyone you even THINK is working for the Council, you get out of there. And sure as hell don't deploy the Hellguard. You do that, then the other Seals breaking won't matter in the end because the fighting between Heaven and Hell will do the work for any consequences."[/color] Uriel folded her arms thoughtfully, approaching the window and forcing Wrath to turn and follow her as she walked. Silence reigned for several long moments, and Wrath feared he'd have to attempt to go deeper into his reasons for it, but Uriel finally broke the silence as he began to speak again.

[color=Orange]"I don't know that I can promise that every time we cross paths with the Council's agents, and it won't matter if those agents are one of the Horsemen. But I will do everything I can to keep the angels of the Army of Light from getting caught in the cross fire. And...I promise that I will not lead the Hellguard into battle unless we see forces from Hell's Vanguard. Will that suffice?"[/color]

Wrath gives a nod and rests a hand on Uriel's should before turning to leave. Before he takes his first steps, he feels her hand on his shoulder and he turns to face her slightly. [color=Orange]"And you can call me mother in private, alright?"[/color] Wrath smiles and nods again before facing her fully and wrapping the angel in a hug, which she returns.

[color=FireBrick]"I've gotta head back, Mother. Stay safe."[/color] Uriel nods and releases her adoptive son, watching him make his way back out the door to leave the weapon forges. All she can hope is that he wouldn't get himself killed trying to do the mission that she and the Council had given him.

[hr]

An hour after returning from the White City, Wrath still sat in his room, going over his newest edition to his arsenal. Had he known it was ready before the trip to the Undersky, he'd have wasted no time in retrieving it, but such was the way of things. With a sigh, he finally set it down and laid down in his bed. Perhaps a nap would do him some good after the day he'd had.